


Something Juicy This Way Comes: A First Class/Gossip Girl Fusion

by BeautifulDarkTwistedFantasy



Category: Gossip Girl, X-Men: First Class (2011) - Fandom
Genre: AU Crossover, F/M, Gen, Het and Slash, M/M, Other, UES, X-Men: First Class
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2011-10-26
Updated: 2013-12-29
Packaged: 2017-10-24 23:44:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Underage
Chapters: 6
Words: 19,125
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/269235
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BeautifulDarkTwistedFantasy/pseuds/BeautifulDarkTwistedFantasy
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Spotted: Charles Xavier arriving at Grand Central Station, blue eyes sullen and filled with the kind of mystery you only get with an Agatha Christie novel. What secrets are you hiding C? Why the sudden departure a year ago? Now that C is back he's gonna charm our teachers, spill Campari on our rugs, steal our mothers', sisters', girlfriends' hearts, and basically ruin our lives in a major way...</p><p>It's gonna be a wild and wicked ride.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Raven Darkholme stared outside her penthouse window that overlooked Fifth Avenue and Central Park. The fall foliage was a perfect picture of perfection throughout the city. She brought her champagne glass to her painted red lips while her two friends Jubilee Farkas, and Angel Salvadore yammered on beside her about some apparently hot barista that worked at the local Starbucks; as if she really wanted to weigh in on some coffee scented public school boy who was probably destined to be a guitar slinging life is love nobody, not when she had her own super-hot boyfriend of two years. Speaking of…  


She turned away from the window where she had been people watching to scan the inhabitants of the dinner party her mother was hosting, because she had started dating some uptight pansy ass retired military guy and she wanted everyone to be familiar with him. Her aqua marine eyes found the object of her affections standing next to said retired military guy. Erik Lensherr for all intents and purposes looked like he wanted to be swallowed up in a black hole. Erik was one of those boys that as cliché as it sounded every guy wanted to be him and every girl wanted to sleep with him. He was the best player on the lax team, spoke five languages fluently including German, Spanish, French, and Italian, has a penchant for leather jackets, and even though he’s also one of those guys that when girls stare they’re thinking ‘she can’t keep her eyes off of me cause I’m so hot.’ It’s not like he could help it. Not with those blue-green eyes, his perfectly styled hair, chiseled facial structure, and even when he smiled he didn’t scare girls away with his trademark shark grin. It added a mischievous side to him, because Erik wasn’t conceited and he didn’t want people thinking he was perfect either. _Quite the martyr._  
"So have you and Raven done it yet?"  


If Erik wasn't the polished socialite he was raised to be he would have coughed up the scotch he was in the process of swallowing. Suddenly he needed something stronger than that. Where was that Alex Summers anyway? He hated when adults said ‘done it’ while referring to sex as if saying the actual word would encourage kids to have sex with the next person that spoke to them. He took in the image of William Stryker, a little too round and grey haired for Manhattan's Elite. His pudgy nose always seemed to carry a shade of pink, but his blue eyes were hard as if you were to make the wrong move he'd make you do pushups naked on the sidewalk. Erik did vaguely recall Raven mentioning that William Stryker was a retired captain, or something. Whatever. She had been bitching about her mother's boyfriend for too much longer than could hold his attention that he resorted to nodding and staring at her breasts.  


_Classy._   


So how was he supposed to safely answer this without sounding too fake, and without risking some retired GI Joe being constantly on his ass for trying to bed his girlfriend's daughter.  


"Honestly, Raven and I have known each other for so long we don't want to jeopardize our relationship by quickly taking things to a physical level"  


There that didn't sound rehearsed. The other just nodded and Erik raised the crystal glass to his lips only to see that he drained the rest of his drink faster than he intended. He spotted Cain Marko, one of his friends, purely because once your parents threw a bunch of children in the same pre-school and forced typical high society classes like ballroom dancing, fencing, and piano they made the friends for you. Just like everything else. _Poor babies!_  


Cain Marko was the thorn in their side and his presence could only be taken in small doses. His family was new money, and it was obvious by the way they spent it. Kurt Marko had been some research scientist, but once he met Andrea Appleton who owned The Palace Hotel it was caching from there. Andrea died when Cain was five and the Markos were left with a huge inheritance and the hotel from her will. Kurt also inherited a reputation of a playboy and it seemed his son wanted to replicate that. Virgins of the world beware Cain was the ultimate cherry picker.  
Right now Sharon Xavier was stuck with their company, but by the way her eyes were constantly lit with amusement and the way they were trained entirely on Kurt...well...Erik could see where this was heading.  


"There you are..."  


Erik's attention was shifted to his girlfriend who had captured his hand her designer perfume wafting up to his nose. He breathed her in as she looked up at him leaning her free hand against his chest. Really what she was projecting was...Hands off bitches he's mine!!! _Meow!_  


"I'm sorry William do you mind if I steal this one away?" asked Raven politely blinking her eyes in an innocent manner. "I'm sure my mother would enjoy having your company once again"  


"Go right ahead! I'm sure Erik and I will get plenty of opportunities to chat again." he promised while taking Erik's empty glass. He smiled crookedly as Raven and her well trained pearly whites never faltering pulled a relieved Erik with her towards the study. It was near the elevators so no party guests were lingering about. Dinner was about to start anyway. She twisted the knob to the cherry wood door and opened it to reveal a small office which no one had used in almost a year. Raven pushed aside the painful twist in her heart at the reasoning. Once she and Erik were in Raven closed and locked the door.  


“What are you doing?” asked Erik with a playful smile in his voice; before she could answer her eyes traveled towards the pocket of his trousers where the familiar tone of one of Gossip Girl’s blast was pinging through. Erik reached for it, but Raven captured that hand as well smiling seductively.  


“Seducing you” she answered before rising to her toes and capturing Erik in an alluring kiss. Erik responded quickly moving one of his hands out of her grasp and guiding it down her black pencil skirt to cup her butt. She moaned with pleasure and he smiled into the kiss before pulling back.  


“And what has brought this on?” he asked in a whisper watching as a shade of red spread across her cheeks. “I thought you wanted to wait.”  


“And I also wanting to do it at the Shangri-La, with champagne, red roses, candles, the whole nine, but,” she returned as she tugged at his yellow tie. “I just want you now, Erik”  


Maybe it was the fact that he’s been waiting for this for a very long time, or that with her blonde hair in loose curls, and her sexy librarian outfit she was wearing she looked super hott, but the next thing Erik knew Raven was hiked up on his hips. Her legs curled around his midsection while she promptly nibbled on his ear. Erik moved them to the chaise lounge that was tucked away at a corner and he awkwardly positioned himself on top of her un-tucking her silk cream blouse from the skirt. Raven’s skin was soft, unmarked, but now being riddled with goose bumps as his hand traveled up towards her breasts. She bit her lip and arched her back slightly as he broke the kiss they had been sharing. Erik cocked his head his own face flushed with excitement. Were they really going to have sex? In her father’s study?  


“I want you Erik” she repeated softly while closing her eyes. As his hand moved to her thigh under her skirt she let out a shaky breath, and thought about how she couldn’t say no now…wouldn’t say no now. Not before…  


“Charles?! Charles Xavier is that you?”  


_Fuuuuuccccccckkkkkkk_   


Erik’s hand retreated from under her shirt and he moved off the couch as muffled voices could be heard from outside the door now. Raven sat up and swung her legs over not bothering to be quick about fixing herself up.  


“Charles?” whispered Erik absently while turning to Raven. “Did you know he was back?”  


“Surprise!” she lied with a put on smile that thankfully because since Erik had his head so far up his ass when it came to knowing her he didn’t catch on. Truthfully, she got the heads up from Hank McCoy a junior from St. Judes Prep that he saw whom he thought to be Charles at Grand Central Station. Raven’s stomach turned and all she had in mind was keeping Erik occupied for as long as she could. Charles had some fucking nerve to show up at her home, with what were probably all smiles, and a trace of his faded English accent. Oh yeah just another thing that made girls swoon over Charles Xavier. Raven stood up and almost stumbled on her Jimmy Choos before making herself more presentable again. Erik was staring at her with a look she couldn’t quite read on his face.  


“I’m going to go say hi.” was all he finally said before taking few strides to the door, unlocking it, and leaving her alone. Raven huffed and tucked her hair behind both ears. All would be fine. There is a perfectly good explanation to everything. Yeah right! Who was she kidding? All Raven wanted to do was drink herself into a stupor, maybe eat a whole cake, watch 1930’s films, and destroy Charles Xavier. Well the last part sounded pretty promising. She smoothed out the wrinkles in her clothes and finally emerged from inside the study to see Erik waiting towards the entryway of the living area. Erik moved aside to let her stand in front of him and she caught sight of him. Clothed in distressed blue jeans, a green plaid button down, with white sneakers Charles looked like a far cry from the person that left a year ago. He had too much hair that was untamed to be deemed acceptable in the current social setting, and a light stubble that made him look even more alluring coupled with his naturally red lips, and ocean blue eyes. Even Raven couldn’t help but stare mesmerized at him. Charles pulled away from the hug her mother had engulfed him in and they both turned towards Erik and Raven.  


“Raven darling look who’s back in town!” gushed Margaret Darkholme beaming at all three of them. Ugh.  


“I can see mother” replied Raven as her and Charles’ eyes met. He shifted embarrassingly under her gaze as if it pained him to even look at her. Good. She could make this as uncomfortable for him as possible. Raven then rushed up and hugged him around the neck as he had a backpack slung around his back. At least he still smelled the same. Always like a hint of grass. “Oh Charles! It is so nice to see you again, it’s been too long”  


She could feel how rigid he became at the contact, but he returned the hug. “I agree. We must catch up”  


“You’re going to have an easy time finding dates with that accent Charles” joked Erik as he touched Raven’s shoulder. Raven pulled back and smiled.  


“Yes well, being in Clifton for even such a short amount of time would bring it back” he commented his eyes still trained on Raven, or the décor behind Raven, or her hair, or Erik’s shoes. Anywhere, but their eyes.  


“I would hardly call being away for a whole year a short amount of time” laughed Raven as she swiped a couple of glasses of champagne off of the server’s tray. She stuck one out to Charles who politely declined and then she practically thrusted the glass into Erik’s hand. “That’s what? 12 months, 52 weeks, 365 days, 8766 hours, 525948 minutes. To me that’s a really long time.”  


She took a long sip of her champagne watching as her boyfriend and best friend…correction…former best friend exchanged awkward glances.  


“I should be going” said Charles lowly.  


“Stay for dinner” insisted Erik.  


“We don’t have extra space at the table” she contended while shaking her head. “I’m sorry”  


There was a bite to her words even though she tried to remain neutral, but if Charles noticed he didn’t show it.  


“No really my mother is waiting for me and I should have a word with her before I go” he explained. “Lots of unpacking to do”  


“So you’re staying?” asked Raven surprisingly only to receive a nudge from Erik.  


Charles nodded and scratched his head. “We’ll catch up soon then?”  


“Definitely” affirmed Erik leaning against the back of the chair and taking a sip of his drink.

XOXO  


“You didn’t call”  


“I did. You didn’t answer”  


“When Charles? Five minutes ago, ten minutes ago, this morning?!”  


“Mother don’t be shrill”  


The doors to the elevator opened and Charles stepped out into the lobby his mother hot on his heels. His eyes traveled to the glass of scotch in her hand no doubt she was at least on her third or fourth.  


“If you don’t want me to be here then I’ll leave”  


Charles swallowed the lump in his throat as Sharon took one moment too long to answer, but finally she recovered and shook her head not one piece of blonde hair falling out of place.  


“No” she said pinching the bridge of her nose. “I’m just surprised. You know how I dislike surprises. Come along stay for dinner”  


Charles looked towards the exit doors. “I’d rather not I have some unpacking to do and Emma is home right?”  


Sharon couldn’t hide the slight roll of her eyes. “Yes, although I believe her last day is tomorrow. Please let me know if she has that hideous boyfriend of hers at the house”  


“It’s not a house mother it’s a hotel room” he corrected in monotone.  


“I’ll see you at home Charles we’ll talk then” she said ignoring his last comment. “And we will be talking”  


“Looking forward to it” he murmured sarcastically as she turned back towards the closed elevator doors.  
XOXO  


Charles let himself into the Xavier hotel suite that his mother had taken refuge, because she hated the last house she lived in. Apparently she was remodeling the whole place and needed somewhere temporary to stay. He dragged along behind him a rolling suitcase and shut the door. A frustrated voice carried through the small hallway that led into the living room and there was where he spotted his sister Emma, sitting on one side of the couch dressed in a white velour tracksuit, her long hair in a messy bun, angrily flipping through a paper book. On the other side was whom Charles recognized from pictures to be Emma’s current squeeze of the month, Sebastian Shaw.  


 _He’s an assistant manager at AT &T, and I met him at one of my acting classes. Mom flipped a shit when I told her so naturally I’m going to date the guy and have sex with him on her bed at least once. Maybe leave some polaroids around…what do you think Charlie?_  
That was the gist of the information that Charles managed to get from Emma, but that was from a week or so ago. Sebastian was the first one to spot him as the couch faced the opposite way and Emma was too busy reading to notice him out of her peripheral vision.  


“Who the fuck are you?” barked Sebastian as he stood up confrontationally. Nice welcome wagon.  


“Hello to you too” replied Charles his grip tightening on the handlebar of the luggage.  


“It’s Charles you lunatic!” cried out Emma as she tossed her reading material aside and practically jumped over the couch to hug Charles. “Oh my God, Charles!”  


Emma was a good three inches taller and two years older than Charles himself, they both shared naturally pale complexions, and blue eyes that enticed any living creature. Emma was blonde like their mother where Charles was a brunette like their father. She wasn’t a fan of color always choosing to wear neutral colors such as white, cream, or black. Her answer to people when she tells them white is her favorite color, ‘because white is a blank canvas, every, and anything goes with it, it’s the sign of new beginnings’. Emma was always searching for a new beginning.  


"Why didn't you tell me you were coming into the city?" she asked slapping his shoulder.  


"I'm sorry honestly I didn't decide to come back until last night and here I am"  


"You must be so jet lagged" she observed as she saw his slouching form, and the dark circles under his eyes. "Listen go start on some unpacking, get a shower, and I'll have ole' Sebastian gone by then"  


Charles looked to Sebastian who was still eyeing him warily, his hands in his crisp khaki pants, the way his black polo fit against his upper body told Charles that he must have a fit body as well.  


"I'm sorry if I interrupted anything" apologized Charles. Sebastian looked like he wanted to say 'well you did' but instead the man let out a smirk.  


"You actually saved me from her incessant ranting" he joked while turning to smile at Emma who only returned a glare.  


"I don't fit as a background actor, Sebastian!" she started once more.  


"Babe you gotta start somewhere...even if it is the background actor of some cleaning product"  
Charles turned and left them then as they continued their conversation. His sister was aspiring to be an actress, after modeling for several years for Gap, Coca-Cola, Lubriderm, some hair product, and QVC. She had a killer 1960's classic look about herself, but her diamond exterior was hard to crack. Emma was the Queen B back at Constance before passing the torch to one Raven Darkholme. She didn't tell anyone more than they needed to know about herself, and Charles was only a witness to her crying maybe only two or three times in their life. That probably made it a little harder for her when it came to acting. Going to college to actually study acting was totally out of the question with Sharon Xavier. It was either do something practical, or be cut off. Emma may hate their mother, but she loved the comfortable life they lived. They compromised; Emma would major in Business, and do a minor in theater.  


Charles found his room pretty quickly. The door was wide open as if he were being expected. A four poster bed covered with red satin sheets and a white comforter sat in the middle of the room. At the foot was a cushioned bench where he discarded his backpack on. The room held other normal furniture to be expected, a desk in one corner, a nightstand equipped with an iPod deck and telephone next to the bed. The walls were a stark white except for the stripped red and white wallpaper that lined the lower half beneath the molding.  


 _New beginnings,_ he thought to himself before moving to the double doors which lead to the walk in closet. On the wooden rods held few hangers, but towards the back sat a few cardboard boxes marked with his name with Emma's handwriting. A small smile formed as he walked in and went down on his knees in front of the boxes.  


“You bro are in need of a serious haircut”  


Charles turned his head towards the entrance of the closet to find Emma leaning against the doorway arms crossed.  


“And you are in a serious need for better taste in boyfriends” he countered with a smirk before turning back to the boxes in front of him working to rip the tape off. Behind him he heard Emma snort.  


“You don’t like him? Big surprise.” she stated humorlessly. She watched him as he fumbled for the end of the tape managing to halfway strip it off before he stood up and pushed the box out. “Mom wanted to put those in storage with everything else, but I figured you would be coming home for the holidays”  


Charles didn’t say anything, but began walking to the desk to fish around for scissors or something sharp to cut the tape with.  


“The holidays that are in a little over two months?” she pushed further.  


“I missed everyone here ok Emma” Charles said exasperatedly. He sighed and sat on the bench at the foot of the bed. He clasped his hands together and looked up at her. Seeing her skeptical look as she stared at him Charles let himself smile. “Especially you my dear”  


“Bullshit” Emma muttered while shaking her head. “But I’ll let it go for now until you’re ready to talk”  
Charles stood up, walked over to Emma and gently laid his hands on either side of her face. “You are my world Emma. If there was anything to say I would tell you. So please don’t look at me like that”  


Her face still clearly said, you are still full of shit, however, she dropped it.  


“I was going to head back to campus tonight before our dear mother came home, but how about we head to dinner at Vespa?”  


“Wonderful” he cheered before releasing her face and watching her nod. Emma gave him a kiss on the cheek and retreated to her room to get ready.  


XOXO  


Dinner was a nice quiet affair save for a couple run ins with his peers from St. Judes, and Emma threatening to crush any cell phones under her Prada Stilettos if she even saw their cell phones being taken out of their pockets. They dined over seared scallops, spaghetti squash, tiramisu, and drank Moscato well into closing time. Charles carefully constructed conversations to mostly focus on Emma, but as they sat in the cab her head on his shoulder lethargic from dinner she managed to bring up the one subject that even Charles himself didn’t know how to handle.  


“So what about you and Raven?” she asked quietly hooking an arm under his comforted by the warmth of his body.  


Charles didn't know how to answer that one so he settled for telling her that Raven was ecstatic to see him. When he abruptly left for Clifton last summer he hadn't left as much an even an opportunity for Gossip Girl to blog his departure. It was only the evening after where his disappearance started making the rounds. Then came the text messages from his entire class and then some.  
But Raven and her heartbreaking phone calls that he sent straight to voicemail and then came her sad at first, raging bitch later, text messages that after the second day back in London he proceeded to discard his cell phone into a river cutting off his communication to Manhattan.  


It seemed as if no one was going to go the extra mile to mail him overseas, but there was that one letter that he did receive; one letter that was stained with tears that he had shed well into the night under his comforter at Clifton; the letter that was burning a hole through a velvet box hidden in his sock drawer, which had previously contained cufflinks, his very first, that Raven bought for his 13th birthday.  


The letter...the very first and last that Erik Lensherr had sent after his departure.  
He unconsciously squeezed Emma's hand and placed a kiss on top of her head. They finally arrived back at The Palace Hotel a little after 11 where Charles climbed out and reluctantly shut the door behind him leaving Emma inside. She poked her head out, painted pink lips forming a smile.  


"I'm just over at NYU baby brother if you need anything, and I'll be back for Thanksgiving break" she assured him with a light swat on his leg at the pout he was giving her. "It's so nice to see you...actually in person and not over Skype. Are you going to be ok here with Sharon?"  


Charles chuckled. "You know it wouldn't hurt for you to refer to her as mum"  


"I haven’t called her mom since my cotillion when she tried to upstage me with my escort, and she hasn't been a mother for as long as I can remember"  


"She tries" defended Charles. "With Dad's death..."  


Emma visibly twitched at that and sat back in her seat making Charles lean into the window.  


"Be safe out there beautiful sister of mine"  
With that the taxi drove off into the night with Charles staring longingly after it. Hands in pockets Charles walked into The Palace Hotel nodding to the doorman when he passed them and greeting the concierge as he made his way to the elevators. Once arriving he didn't even have to push the button as one of them opened right in front of him. There stood Cain Marko an arm wrapped possessively around a red headed girl's waist. Charles would have tried to dash off to the side if not for the fact that Cain Marko made eye contact with him almost immediately.  


"Charles Xavier" he announced, the name rolling off his tongue harshly.  


"Cain Marko" Charles responded back nodding to both Cain and his present company. Cain stepped out of the elevator releasing his hold on the ginger. Charles moved to occupy the now empty elevator, but Cain laid a hand on his chest stopping him from walking further.  


"A drink" proposed Cain. ", to celebrate your return"  


“Maybe tomorrow night” offered Charles trying to side step his classmate. Cain clucked his tongue and blocked Charles’ exit once again.  


“I don’t take no for an answer Xavier” he said sneering eye level with Charles. “and I suppose neither does Erik. Does he?”  


“What are you talking about?” asked Charles a little too defensively. Cain turned towards the woman who was waiting for Cain impatience written on her face. Cain walks over and says a few words to the woman as Charles contemplates hitting the elevator button again if curiosity wasn’t poking at him.  


“This way” motioned Cain towards the direction of the hotel bar as his lady friend made her exit out. Charles stuffed his hands in his pockets and reluctantly followed Cain.  


XoXo  


Erik clicked through the Dartmouth website distractedly before minimizing it to reveal Gossip Girl's website. Biting his lower lip Erik typed in 'Charles Xavier' in the tracking search bar. A page promptly appeared displaying a history of blasts, whereabouts, brief history, and photos of Charles. It was in the same layout that the rest of his classmates at both Constance and St. Judes had.

Normally Erik didn't indulge in any of Gossip Girl's antics. He never took word of mouth as truth unless it was coming from the person themselves. The only reason he was subscribed to her (or even him) in general was in case any news about Charles popped up. Truthfully, he forgot that it was even active after 6 months of no word of his whereabouts or happenings. Not that he should have expected to. He doubted that even the Gossip Queen herself had spies at Clifton.

He found himself staring at a picture of Emma and Charles walking arm in arm out of The Palace Hotel towards a taxi. A goofy grin was plastered on his face as Emma placed a kiss on his cheek.

Out of the clothes he had showed up at the Darkholme's in, Charles was sporting grey slacks that fit his form nicely, a black button down, and a grey vest to match.

Erik shut his MacBook with a frustrated huff and rolled over onto his back. Did he dare try contacting Charles again? Could their friendship be repaired or did he fuck that up with the one night he may have had one too many martinis and access to a pen...slipped a letter in an envelope and immediately stuck it in the out box. He only remembered even writing the letter when he found 8 crumpled wads of papers that were apparently rough drafts to his 'fuck you. Forget what happened at the Parker wedding. It was a mistake' letter.

Getting in touch with Charles to apologize several days later was damn near impossible. His phone was shut off, email deactivated, and even a follow up letter was left unanswered. It was promptly forwarded back to him unopened. He called Clifton for a last attempt at communication and was told that Charles requested that no one but family be able to correspond with him.

The only way he knew how to cope was to amp up his pot smoking habits, train harder than ever with his Lax team, and dedicate all his remaining attention to Raven. That was also when he was not meeting with college advisors, tutoring classmates on their French, and sneaking off to work on his 1968 Ford Thunderbird that he had planned to road trip it with Charles to California well that was before last summer happened that changed their relationship.

XoXo  


_“I think the bathroom’s this way!” said Charles loudly his voice echoing throughout the empty corridor of the venue. Erik chuckled and grabbed Charles’ shoulders keeping his friend from going right instead of straight.  
_

_“Actually right here” said Erik guiding Charles just a few more steps down the hall before they came before The Oak Room. Erik opened the door to the empty room and gently pushed Charles inside and shut the door behind them. The music coming from the adjacent ballroom was now muffled to Erik’s relief. It was already three hours into the Parker wedding reception at Gotham Hall and his head was killing him. As usual Charles had taken to be the life of the party dancing and flirting with every eligible girl, downing shots, and beforehand their little circle had smoked the weed that Charles and Erik managed to score from his dealer. He knew he would be nursing Charles in the morning which wasn’t new to him either, but he didn’t mind it.  
_

_“Erik I don’t think we’re supposed to be in here” whispered Charles as he spun around to face Erik. “I think this is someone’s study”_  
True, the room was decorated with solid wood paneling, to the far right was a fireplace and leather seating while directly in front of them was a long wood table, however it was just another reception room.  


_“Perhaps you should stop thinking” Erik teased as he tapped the side of Charles’ temple lightly. Charles grabbed Erik’s hand lightly moving it away from his face.  
_

_“That hurts” he lied with a shit eating grin that made Erik’s heart skip a couple beats. The way Charles was looking at him with those glassy blue eyes made him want to drown in them and made him feel uncomfortable at the same time.  
_

_“Hurry up before Raven and Emma come looking for us” he said pathetically knowing full well that the girls long ditched their dates to hang out with the other girls who wanted to dance and not be subjected to guy conversations. He just wanted Charles to stop looking at him like that._  
Charles reluctantly released Erik’s hand a little shocked with himself for having held onto it for longer than necessary. He turned to walk only to end up stumbling on his feet again. Charles cursed softly and once again felt hands on his arms to steady him. Now that his adrenaline was slowing down everything else was catching up to him making his vision partially swim and he just hoped his night wouldn’t have to be cut short. He knew Erik would put him in a car and take him home if he thought Charles was partying too hard for his liking. Especially after that scare he put his actual friends, Emma and his mother through several months ago.  


_But more on that later…  
_

_“What would you do without me Xavier?” asked Erik as he placed his arm around Charles’ torso and moving Charles arm to come around his.  
_

_“Let’s hope we never have to find out” he answered painfully aware that he was slowly getting aroused just by the mere touch of his best friend. He tried not to stare at Erik at all that day, however as the night wore on it was harder and harder not to. The fitted charcoal pants lined the curve of his ass in a complementary way, he looked debonair with his crisp white shirt and suspenders. Erik had wanted to wear a fedora but him and Raven had convince him to leave it off. Raven’s reasoning was that Erik would get too hot, he would take off the fedora and have hat hair which was not good for photographic purposes. Charles’ reasoning had more to do with the fact that he liked imagining running his hands through his hair which can be quite unruly at times like his own.  
_

_Erik deposited Charles by the bathroom door and released his hold. Charles groaned, but Erik interpreted it differently.  
_

_“Are you gonna puke?” asked Erik worriedly. “Do you need me in there with you?”  
_

_Charles chuckled and Erik flicked his arm with his finger. “Not funny dick”  
_

_Charles opened the door. “Don’t worry Erik I’m fine!”  
_

_He turned to enter the bathroom and cried out when he came face to face with his mother.  
_

_“Charles” she whispered poking him in the chest. “Charles”  
_

“Mmph” groaned Charles as he was abruptly pulled back into the waking world. He was spread across his king size bed the moonlight peeked through the windows serving as the only source of light.  


“Charles” came another whisper. He turned over on his back groggily to see his mother still clothed in her outfit from dinner, however her curls were hanging limply by her face, and she reeked of alcohol.  


“Mother what time is it?” asked Charles running a hand over his face his dream or more like his memory quickly fading from his subconscious.  


“Charles I’ve missed you so much,” Sharon whispered as she laid down, head on his chest, arm across his stomach. Her short gold locks smelled faintly of honeysuckle from her favorite shampoo that she had used for much of his life. As much as that brought on memories of him being comforted by her the familiar scent of vodka assaulted his senses so much it made his stomach churn. This wasn’t the first time Sharon had stumbled into his or Emma’s room in the middle of the night drunker than any of his friends got so he just laid his hand atop her head and closed his eyes. “I don’t want anything to happen to you”  


“I’m fine” said Charles knowing his words would do little comfort at this point. He supposed he only had himself to blame for her worries, but for fuck’s sake that was a year and a half ago. They laid there in silence except for his mother’s heavy breathing and he wondered if he should wake her and put her to bed as his arm was starting to fall asleep. Before he could arouse her she tightened her hold on him and sighed.  


“Charles…”  


“Yes” he murmured.  


“What you told me before you left…”she trailed off obviously unsure on how to word whatever she was going to say or maybe she heard the quickening of his heartbeat. He braced himself. “I want you to be happy my love, but things can be a little old fashion here and I don’t want life to be hard for you.”  


Sharon shifted herself so that her chin leaned on his chest and she stared intently back at him. Charles brought himself up so that he was propped against the headboard forcing Sharon to a seated position.  


“I mean does anyone else know?” she asked grabbing his hand like that would bring some comfort into the discussion. Why did she have to do this now anyway? What was the fucking point? “Raven, Erik…”  


“No” he answered biting his lower lip at the mention of his estranged friends’ names.  


“I’ve seen how you are with girls Charles,” continued Sharon oblivious to the unshed tears in her son’s eyes. He was now ever so grateful that she picked now to bring these things up where he could hide his face in the shadows. “I know you could have your pick of the lot perhaps it was just a phase yes?”  


Something you can get over were her unspoken words. He stared at the far wall for what seemed to be the longest time. Honestly, if he really looked at it Erik was his only crush on a male, but it wasn’t like he was checking out every eligible bachelor on the UES. At Clifton he would entertain himself with a good hookup or two, but mostly he buried his head in books and homework. So perhaps it was just a phase. He knew of heterosexual girls that have had girl crushes so why did he have to put a label on himself because of one guy.  


“I suppose you are right” said Charles. “Honestly, I guess I just did it for the shock factor you know how bored I can get”  


“But you were so upset”  


“It was the alcohol” he stated making a gesture with his fingers. “Makes your emotions magnified”  
As if he needed to tell her about the effects of alcohol.  


“Are we done?” asked Charles hastily wiping away a stray tear. If he was so sure then why was his chest so constricted? “I have my first day back at St. Judes and as I’m coming in late in the term I want to be on my A game”  


“Of course” answered Sharon leaning in and placing a chaste kiss on his forehead. Charles didn’t even turned away from the doorway and told himself it was because it hurt to see her stumble on her way out and not because he was too disgusted to even look at her right now.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Raven agrees to meet Charles one on one for a drink at The Palace Bar. Can one forgive and forget so easily?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the delay my loves! I do have a good portion written up however I had to do some rewrites and work out character purposes. Anyway I finally wrote out the introduction of Moira's character and was like yessssss I needed to write this to finally be able to update. Ironically, this isn't the chapter where she comes in yet...go figure. Thanks for the lovely reviews, kudos, and bookmarks they make my heart happy <3

_I heard he was kicked out for doing lines of coke on the Headmaster's Porsche_

 _No, he was actually tossed out of the country because he impregnated some Duchess, and they had to get rid of the baby. So they paid him and Headmistress Queller off to take him back._

Raven couldn't help but roll her eyes at the constant speculation of Charles Xavier's return to the Upper East Side 3 weeks after the start of the school year. Of course her clique wanted to know the inside scoop from her, but she just insisted that he grew tired of Clifton that was all. No one knew...and that was the problem because she should have been the first one to know. She went back to sorting out the envelopes that were neatly alphabetized in a wooden box. They contained hand-written invitations to a charity dance with perfect calligraphy courtesy of a freshman by the name of Marie D’Anconto, whom desperately wanted to be taken in by Raven as an It Girl. It was cute really, but it took more to keep Raven’s attention than some writing on envelopes.

“Bobby Drake told me he didn’t talk all day during 4th period Chem” stated Kathryn “Kitty” Pryde looking up at the girls from the third step closest to the ground leading to the Met. Raven looked down at her stabbing her spoon back into her Yoplait and stirring it slowly. “It was weird like is he trying to channel the emo vibe, because ew.”

Angel nodded in agreement as she shifted once more to get comfortable in her position on the step directly below Raven. The steps of the Metropolitan was a prime spot for the Queen B of Constance and her most loyal girls to have their lunch, gossip about the happenings with other people, and get away from the school building itself. Raven claimed the west side which held the most privacy, and because Charles thought it to have a better vantage point. No girl was to sit at any step above her, and the lower you sat towards the ground the lower your place was at Constance.

Raven barely noticed Jubilee taking a seat next to Angel before she let out a snort of disgust. All three heads turned to her.

“Jubilee what is that hideous jacket you’re wearing??” she questioned disgustingly. “And pink sunglasses??”

Jubilee looked down at her bright yellow leather jacket and then back to Raven.“It’s couture,” she said defensively. “You even said you were thinking of buying it a couple weeks ago.”

“Exactly,” said Raven in a bitchy tone. “So it might have given you a clue that if I didn’t buy it since then, well maybe it was a horrible idea.”

“But---“

“And furthermore if you even had an inkling that I wanted to purchase that hideous thing then why would you buy it for yourself?”  
“I…I” stuttered Jubilee casting her eyes down.

"I…I” mocked Raven as she narrowed her eyes at Jubilee. “Get out of my sight and tomorrow…you can sit down with Kitty”

Jubilee looked to Angel or Kitty for any kind of a backup, but neither girl dared to speak against Raven. There was an order to things and they didn’t have nerve to disrupt that. Jubilee gathered her things with a solemn expression and walked down the steps.

“Oh and Jubilee” called Raven before licking the back of her spoon and dumping it back in the empty carton of yogurt. Jubilee turned around. “Return it”

Jubilee nodded solemnly almost running right into Charles. She apologized with a squeak before dipping around him and rushing back towards the school.

"That was a little harsh of you." commented Charles switching his bookbag over to the next shoulder.

Raven cocked her head and eyed him from head to toe. "And yet I don't remember asking for your opinion"

"I see you changed your hair" commented Charles choosing to ignore her icy tone and instead climbing to the step where Jubilee just vacated.

Raven shrugged disinterestedly. "I've found that blondes do have more fun. Less Jackie and more Marilyn as they say"

Charles lightly plucked Angel's invitation on the ground and ignored her surprised cry. Raven tightened her grip on the box of invites and scowled as Charles read through the invite.

"Kiss on the Lips?"

"Charity dance" answered Raven her lips spreading into a charming smile. "Invitation only and unfortunately you're not invited"

"Funny how that's been happening lately" his eyes looked at her disappointedly and Raven casted her eyes away for a moment feeling a twinge of guilt.

Raven adjusted her skirt as she stood up from her position on the steps coming at eye level with Charles. The other girls stood up as well keeping their distance yet intrigued by the power play of an upper hand.

"Well until 24 hours ago everyone thought you were frolicking overseas having tea and crumpets with the Queen of England" she recited in a mock English accent.

"More like the Princess of Lumberbough" corrected Charles keeping his poker face.

"Whatever" was her comeback as she brushed past him. Charles huffed impatiently as the girls gave him a glimpse and rushed to catch up to Raven.

"Raven!" called Charles turning around. Raven stopped in her tracks and turned around. "Palace bar at 7?"

She pursed her lips in subtle annoyance before noticing that every eye was on her. The wilted olive branch had been offered out to her and as much as she wanted to flip him the bird in an unladylike manner she was curious to know exactly what Charles wanted to say.

"Well I did have plans with Erik, but I suppose he can wait."

"He always does"

Raven then turned with raised eyebrows away from Charles and walked off towards school as Charles sat down with a triumphant smirk.

XoXo  
It took Raven **EIGHT** outfit changes for her get together with Charles before she settled on a dark grey fitted turtleneck dress that hugged her curves, and paired it with black tights, and gray flats. She then pushed her curly hair back with a black headband and examined herself in the mirror.  
Raven didn't know why she was so nervous to have a one on one with Charles just as much as she didn't really know why she agreed to it in the first place. Tonight was the night she wanted to lose her virginity to Erik, but instead she pushed that back a half hour making her anxiety even worse.

 _It was easier to be angry than sad_

 _So she remembered how Charles disappeared after the Parker wedding_

 _How she found out from his mother that he hopped a plane to England_

 _How her calls, text messages and emails were unanswered_

 _And how empty she felt from the lack of his presence_

Was it working?? Ugh that just caused her eyes to redden from stinging tears. She blinked them back and rubbed some La Mer cold cream under her eyes. 20 minutes and 2 shots of her mother's whiskey later she found herself settling onto the bar stool next to Charles who was nursing what she guessed was a scotch on the rocks. The bartender didn't dare card them because Raven's mother could bankrupt his family and Charles' mother was apparently fucking their employer who was rumored to have connections with the mob. Who starts these rumors anyway??  
Oh yeah :-)  
"Cosmo" she told the bartender shortly before tapping her freshly manicured nails on the wooden bar top.  
"So..."

"So," she continued as her drink was presented to her promptly. She took a sip while looking at Charles from the corner of her eyes. Raven then placed the drink down and licked her lips. "You're back?"

"Would appear so," answered Charles turning his body to face Raven. "Clifton just wasn't the same."

"Interesting," said Raven. "I thought Oxford was your college of choice, don’t local students get preference over overseas students."

"I've taken a liking to Harvard for my undergrad work," he nodded and ran his finger absently on the rim of the glass. His smile then dissolved into one of pity that Raven immediately turned away from. "I'm sorry to hear about your father Raven it must have been hard."

Raven threw him a smirk and picked up her glass again.

"So he doesn't know who I am most of the time" she said flippantly. "My mom lost 20 pounds and found herself a boyfriend real quick"

She took another sip, and decided it wasn't strong enough for this conversation.

"I'm sorry I didn't know..."

"Why would you?" she interrupted with a sneer. "It's not like you called or wrote. _Oh_ or even cared."

"That’s not true. I'm sorry mother just wanted me away from this environment for a while" he explained and at least some of that was the truth. She bit her lip and looked away.

"So much so that she seemed to have no clue as to why you never told any of us that you were leaving"

Charles nodded and reached for her hand. He felt it stiffen but she didn't pull away.

"Raven I just want it to be the way it used to be," he said softly. "Morning runs to the bakery for lattes and muffins, long walks by the Duck Pond, Sunday brunch. You know you could never stay mad at the guy that gave you your first kiss"

"Charles" hissed Raven bashfully her cheeks reddening.

He gave out a small chuckle at how red her face became. She then examined him...really looked at him and the memories of her friendship with him came flooding back. The early mornings, the late nights, how there he had been for her throughout her father's sickness. How entirely lonely she felt while he was away despite Erik's best efforts. Yet, dammit this apology wasn’t enough, or was it her pride?

“No!” she suddenly cried out as she ripped her hand from his clammy grip.

“Wha—“

“You can’t just waltz back in here and demand our friendship back Charles” Raven shook her head and grabbed her clutch. Her hands only shook the slightest before they settled down and she proceeded to retrieve a twenty dollar bill from inside the clutch.

“Please stop,” Charles coaxed softly closing his fist as to not reach for her again lest she strike out at him. Raven shrugged and turned in her stool. Hopping off the blonde smoothed out the wrinkles in her dress then moved to throw the bill on the bar but Charles caught her wrist instead. “Raven please I _need_ you.”

Raven scoffed at the turning of the tables. Charles could be so self-absorbed sometimes and he must have realized what he just said because he let her wrist go his eyes going wide.

“I’m sorry Charles but I don’t need you anymore,” she spat at him and the aggression behind it was definitely the alcohol talking…definitely the alcohol. “There’s a lot that’s going on in my life now and for the better. Frankly, there no longer any room for you in it.”

 _Ouch._

Raven gave a small sigh that definitely gave off an ‘oh well fuck you’ tone behind it before she tossed the $20 bill in his direction.

“Don’t” Charles managed to choke out swallowing that lump that was forming in his throat. He grabbed the twenty and held it out to her. The last thing he wanted to do was start blubbering in front of Raven and guilt tripping her into giving him another chance. A chance he didn’t even fucking deserve.

Raven shook her head her eyes trained on the bill and not at him. For a while she dreamed of this day when she would see Charles again. She dreamed of a dramatic meeting at Grand Central Station where they would lock eyes, he would drop his bags and they would run into each other’s arms. She also dreamed of throwing her mother’s God awful collection of porcelain cats at Charles while he dodged them, then he would bring her a bracelet from Tiffany’s and make her dinner and they would make up.

But when she saw him show up at her mother’s dinner party…right now she was following on pure instinct, on pure resentment and anger. However, the fact that she could be moved by one look for Charles, where she worshipped the ground he walked on, didn’t question any of his advice, didn’t keep eye contact with anyone well that was the old Raven...she was a changed woman now. Ok well if she could finally get to that hotel room with Erik she would be an actual woman. This was one thing Charles wasn’t going to fuck up for her.

“One more thing,” she began disregarding his outstretched hand and putting a finger up. They locked eyes where she drilled her steely gaze into his remorseful ones. Charles nodded for her to continue. “Things are going really great with Erik and me. Well it would help if he and I would just keep to ourselves. I hope I don’t have to spell it out for you, Charles.”

“No, that’s not necessary,” he whispered pathetically and that only served to piss her off more. So that was it?! He was just going to let her go again? Meanwhile, Charles was wondering whether Raven knew about last summer. Most likely not since he was still breathing, but that didn’t mean that she wasn’t suspicious otherwise why would she ward him away from her relationship? The girl was first in her class, bound to be Class Valedictorian, ran committees and all her classes were APs she wasn’t stupid in the slightest.

“Goodbye Charles” Raven said in finality before she sashayed away from the bar. Charles looked after her longingly before downing the rest of his drink.

First Erik casted him away

Then his mother practically told him the only way to function in society was for him to be straight. Now Raven didn’t even want him in her life.

Why did he even come back when three out of the four most important people in his life wanted nothing to do with him?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ugh, I'm pretty horrified because I think I have so many grammatical and punctuation errors going on here, and maybe the descriptions aren't up to par. Damn it! I'm gonna start my search for a beta, but I wanted to give everyone a nice Thanksgiving treat :)
> 
> I suppose we better bring Erik in soonies...don't worry more shall be revealed mwahahaha
> 
> Happy Thanksgiving everyone! Be safe especially on Black Friday and I hope everyone recovers from their food comas :)


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Erik and Raven finally start to seal the deal, and just how much of a bad boy was Charles?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WARNINGS: UNDERAGE FOREPLAY (ALL CHARACTERS ARE 17), UNDERAGE DUB-CON? (FLASHBACK CHARACTERS ARE 16), FOUL LANGUAGE
> 
> Loving all the kudos and comments my friends...here's a little pre-Christmas present for ya! I'm hoping to bring in Moira next chapter so Charles can finally get some loving :)

Chapter 3

Erik stood nervously looking up at Raven's building from across the street like some stalker. Perched against a stood he lifted his cigarette to his moist with Chap Stick lips and took a long drag. Not doing what most guys would if they were about to take their girlfriend’s virginity, but Erik was not like most guys at all. That’s what made him endearing. A little bit Humphrey Bogart, mixed in with some Clarke Gable. So, what was he doing standing outside in 40-something degree weather while his very hot girlfriend was prepping for her big night? That was exactly it. Not really to his surprise, but Raven planned everything. From what she was going to eat for the week, to when and where they were going to see each other, to their future and frankly it was overwhelming. Erik thrived on spontaneity while Raven hated surprises and anything that deviated from her perfect plans. This was especially so since her father was shipped off to California in a home and Charles had up and left for Europe.

He tossed his cigarette and stomped his foot on it in annoyance as Charles’ face flashed through his eyes…Charles’ flushed face, pupils blown with ecstasy, eyes clouded with intoxication and something else. He angrily kicked the side of the stoop and finally left the position he had been standing in for the past ten minutes.

XoXo

_Shittttttttt_

Raven cursed aloud as she heard the doorbell from her bedroom. She lit the last red candle on her dresser before tossing the lighter into the top drawer. Raven ran over to her full length mirror to examine herself. She had stripped herself nude only moments before and examined the results of her trip to Elamur Day Spa that afternoon. A Brazilian wax here, a pluck there, a blowout, a facial, a mani-pedi…needless to say she was still blotchy, and somewhat still in pain.

“Ms. Raven, Mr. Lensherr is here to see you!”

Raven grimaced at her body which still wasn’t in as great of a shape as she would have liked. Her face still held that baby fat that made her look 12 instead of 17, her hips were wider than her 28” waistline, her breasts were smaller than most of the girls at Constance not enough to make her standout if she weren’t who she was, and her stomach had a slight pudge…ugh suddenly she didn’t feel so sexy anymore.

“Ms. Raven!”

Raven tore herself away from the mirror fanning herself with her hand and walking to the door. She opened it up a crack.

“Send him up!” she called back down to the maid. She then rushed over to her MacBook and hit the play button. J. Holiday’s Bed came through the speaker filling the silence of the room with his sensuous voice. Then she turned from the laptop and placed one hand on the back of the wooden computer chair, the other on her hip. The door opened and Erik slipped in shutting the door behind him. Raven felt her heart skip a couple beats. Why was this so nerve wracking??  
Erik stopped in his tracks and looked around the room which was adorned with red candles everywhere. The heat was almost sweltering so he began stripping off his jacket his eyes scanning the room, a bottle of champagne in a bucket on Raven’s bedside table with two champagne glasses, a slight movement brought his gaze over to his girlfriend perched awkwardly against a chair...his very naked girlfriend perched awkwardly against a chair. For a moment his mind went blank, and although any other boy that was in his position would have his hands all over their girlfriend he couldn't even move.

"Too much?" asked Raven her smile faltering slightly, oh God he hated it...

"No" Erik managed to get out his voice catching slightly. He hooked his jacket onto the back of the door as Raven moved to the bottle of champagne and poured them each a glass. Erik now took the time to gaze at Raven's nude form and more so her supple breasts. His penis began to throb and he found himself anxious as Raven handed him a glass of champagne. Their glasses clinked before they each took a good swig, two pairs of blue eyes locking together. Nothing like when it was him and Charles about to fuck... _Charles???_ Erik choked slightly on his champagne and went into a coughing fit. Raven took his glass, and placed both of them down on the desk.

"Are you ok?" she asked patting the small of his back. Erik nodded and apologized. He then turned to fully face her and wrapped one arm around her waist smiling as she cried out in surprise.

"Do you feel that?" he whispered huskily at her their faces only inches apart. He pressed her body against his even more so that she could feel his hard-on. "Do you feel what my body wants?"

Raven let out a breath as her body tingled with response...oh yes she was used to that feeling and before it used to freak her out because she wasn't ready. However, now more than anything she wanted Erik inside of her for him to make her feel wanted and connected. Erik smiled slightly once Raven closed her eyes slight whimpers coming out in response. He used his free arm and scooped that under Raven's legs bringing her off her feet bridal style. He owed this to her...hell he wanted to give her everything she wanted. Erik placed her on the bed and kicked off his shoes as she laid there watching him. He then stripped off his sweater and wifebeater before climbing on the bed and hovered over Raven.

"Are you sure?" he asked his eyes moving from her lips to the small of her nose to the bright with excitement eyes. Raven bit her bottom lip and nodded. Erik crashed his lips against hers eager to get out of his pants to give room to his growing erection. Raven returned the kiss hungrily her hands moving throughout his hair. The song switched to What's Your Fantasy by Ludacris, but it only seemed to fuel Raven's fire as she broke the kiss and reached to unbutton Erik's pants. Erik helped her as his kisses trailed down her cheek all the way to her ear where he then bit it slightly making her gasp with pleasure. The pants were finally out of the way much to Raven's delight.

"Condom?" she managed to breathe out. Erik brought up his head from the crook of her neck and shook his head. "I want to prep you first...I don't want this to be a quickie for you."

Raven smiled at how experienced Erik sounded. He probably read up on books for virgins, or watched porn or something. Erik never wanted to look like a first timer on anything and that's why she loved him because nothing with him was to be done half assed. She was so consumed with thoughts that she cried out maybe a little too loudly when Erik's finger slid inside her.

"Erik!"

xoxo

_Erik toyed with the unlit joint in his pocket as he leaned against the doorframe of the bathroom listening as Charles peed what seemed to be a gallon of urine. Then there was some stumbling around before the sound of the faucet could be heard. The music seemed to be blaring louder and now that the adrenaline has seemingly rushed out of him he was starting to feel the effects of the alcohol, and fatigue was starting to weigh on him. He hoped Charles was ready to leave, because he sure as hell was.The sound of a sob brought his attention away from his thoughts and back to the bathroom door._

_"Charles?" he questioned worredly as he knocked on the wooden door. No answer, but another sob. Erik opened the door with ease to see his friend sitting on the porcelain floor of the powder room, his knees up to his chest, and his head leaning against it. Erik rushed down to his level and tugged on Charles' arm to see his face but was met with resistance. "Are you hurt? What's wrong?"_

_Charles' body continued to shake silently with the occassional sob breaking through and all Erik could do then was kneel there, one hand on his friend's back and the other clutching Charles' arm. Finally after what seemed like forever his friend brought his head up and leaned it back against the wall staring at the wall across from them._

_"I miss my dad Erik," whispered Charles. "I miss him a lot."_

_Erik closed his eyes for a moment and cleared his throat. Brian Xavier was a well known experimental scientist, and for a while when Charles was seven, Brian had moved back to his birth place in England to continue his research. Three years after that Brian had moved back to New York and devoted two years to Sharon and Charles. Well Charles since Sharon took advantage of Brian's presence to keep Charles occupied and attended to her socialite duties. He adored Charles and they spent a lot of time together. Brian taught him everything about science, taught him the piano, chess, fencing, even his favorite sport soccer. Charles was 14 when Kurt Marko was fully integrated into their lives when the man approached Brian with a partnership offer. Then a few months after that a lab accident took the life of Brian Xavier and it was needless to say that Emma and Charles were distraught. Emma taking a more introverted, and cold approach while Charles took on some dangerous habits. Sharon was no help to her children only taking the comforts of Kurt Marko in more ways than just using his shoulder to cry on. It was only after Charles almost joined his father six months ago did Sharon throw both of her children into therapy and placed a short leash on them._

_"Peter and Mary-Jane they look happy don't they?" continued the other to which Erik nodded wondering where his inebriated friend was going with this. "I can see you and Raven being like that...oh what a beautiful bride she'll make, but me...."_

_Charles sighed and closed his eyes two tears falling down his face and before Erik knew it he wiped them away gently with his thumb._

_"What about you, Charles?"_

_"Why do I feel so lonely Erik? I don't want to feel empty," asked Charles quietly he ran his hands through his hands in a frustrated manner. "I'm sorry I shouldn't be burdoning you with this. I'm stupid and selfish and I don't deserve you."_

_Erik didn't know where the anger emerged from, but he grabbed Charles' arms and roughly pulled the 16 year old towards him. "Erik wh--"_

_"Stop talking!" Erik told the other harshly. "Stop talking like that. Stop talking like that Charles, please. Stop it!"_

_Charles looked up at him his eyes wide at Erik's outburst and Erik could only breathe heavily his mind flashing back to six months ago._

_Desperation_

_Desperation_

_Desperation_

_"I am never gonna leave you," Erik said desperately. He shook the other ignoring the whimper of pain that emerge from Charles' lips. "Say it. I want you to say it!"_

_"You are never going to leave me" whimpered Charles his eyes boring into Erik's. "You would do anything for me."_

_"Anything," repeated Erik loosening his grip a little once he realized that their faces were only milimeters apart. Heavy breathing, quickening paces of hearts, inebriated minds, Charles' lips pressed against his own. What the hell??_

_He wanted to push him away, he wanted to press his lips together tighter, he wanted to not be aroused by this moment, dammit he wanted to not be bringing his arms around Charles. Erik couldn't help but part his lips as Charles ran the tip of his tongue lightly against them slipping it in teasingly. They stayed like that for a few moments, never deepening the kiss or having their tongues dance as if Charles wanted to see what Erik was going to do. However, the latter couldn't get his brain to connect with his body. Finally Charles pulled back, but he was staring not at Charles but..._

xoxo  
"Raven" gasped Erik as his girlfriend bit down on his shoulder his hard-on deflating as if someone pricked it with a pin. They had been fooling around for almost 45 minutes now but Erik's mind was no longer in that room and no longer with Raven and it wasn't fucking fair! He pushed her off where she gave a little cry of surprise.

What was Erik doing? This wasn't planned...he was ruining a perfect moment....a perfect night!

"What's wrong?" asked Raven worredly watching as he stood up from her bed collecting his things. "Did I do something wrong?"

"No baby," he said without looking at her. He picked up his boxers from the floor at the end of the bed. "You're so fucking perfect, but I can't do this right now."

Raven stood up as well and fetched her silk robe suddenly feeling not so hot. Actually she was feeling quite pissed off and began blowing out candles probably not such a great idea with the smoke detector. "Of course you can't Erik, there's always something that calls for an interruption"

"Raven don't be like that"

He put on his pants and reached for his sweater finally looking at Raven who had stopped blowing out candles to watch him.

"You were all for this, Erik," Raven told him frustrated. "We talked about this last week so what changed? Actually what's so different between last week and this week. Hmmm it wouldn't be Charles would it?"

Erik's body stiffened, but he quickly recovered. "You are the one who's really keen in bringing up Charles all the time."

"So you haven't spoken to him at all since we got back?"

"No Raven I'm actually very busy," Erik shrugged on his coat and rolled his eyes. "Bringing up other men whether or not we had slumber parties with them or not really kills the mood in any situation."

"I'm sorry," Raven walked up to Erik and grabbed the lapels of his coat. "I have spoken to Charles though and I just think that now that it's senior year and he's been gone awhile that we have fallen into a great routine. Any disruption to that may spoil things."

"Wait what?" Erik asked raising an eyebrow.

Raven swallowed keeping her eyes on the lapels of his coat while the fiddled her fingers on them. "He agrees 100%, what the three of us had when we were younger was nice, but now is the time to think about our future and having a third party in it for the rest of our lives is not going to work."

"So is this your nice way of saying you basically told him to fuck off, because he basically told you to fuck off?" asked Erik as he removed her hands from his jacket. "I can't believe you would do that after everything he's been through in the past few years."

"Oh and what my father getting sick doesn't compare right? Since i'm not going off getting wasted, teethering off buildings, and OD'ing?!" Raven snapped angrily. "He's put us through some rough shit himself so you know what Erik you decide who you want by your side!"

She marched over to her bedroom door and threw open her door. "Get the fuck out until you make your decision."

Erik tightened his jaw and marched out flinching as the door slammed behind him.  



	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> E going into R's apartment building and coming right back out ten minutes later looking particularly trife. I guess date night was a bust. C going in on his fourth drink in the Palace Bar. The apple doesn't fall far from the tree. Good thing CM was there to take him back home before C's mother returned. Just like old times. A and J trying on multitudes of matching dresses for the Kiss on the Lips Party. Speaking of the KotL, in the words of Annie, it's only a day away and I still haven't chosen my suitor for the night. Decisions like this make the heart grow weary. Perhaps I'll just go stag. Why go with the single dish when there's sure to be an open buffet. See you there if you were lucky enough to get an invite.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I finally acquired a beta reader!!! Huge thank you to Bea (pseudoneems) for her patience and her wonderful artwork, which I will start adding once I figure out Ao3 :)

**Bromances**

**  
**

_As they say bros before hos right? Sure it's a great thing to see brotherhood, loyalty,and all that jazz, but not when your the girlfriend in between. A relationship is bound to start loosening at the seams when your boyfriend is more interested in spending the night with his testoterone driven friends eating pizza from Greasy Sal's, getting high, and going through someone's sister's back issues of Seventeen magazine than making sexytimes with you. One of the more epic bromances us Upper East Siders has beared witness to was on a Matt Damon, Ben Affleck level. Then all of a sudden it ended more abruptly than Lindsay Lohan's stint in jail. The source was said to be a certain brunette who basically wanted her boyfriend all to herself, and paid the other off to leave. Must have been one big payoff...speculation of course. No one knows the true story...right?_

_  
_

**Your email**

**  
**

Q: Dear GG,

If you're talking about who I think you're talking about then I do know the whole story. I know exactly what happened, and when it happened. However, I need to keep this in my pocket for a rainy day. Keep your umbrella handy.

-juggernaut

A: Dear juggernaut,

Sounds juicy! I hope you relay your information to yours truly. By the way have you checked the weather for this weekend? There's a storm a coming.

**Sightings**

**  
**

**E** going into **R's** apartment building and coming right back out ten minutes later looking particularly trife. I guess date night was a bust. **C** going in on his fourth drink in the Palace Bar. The apple doesn't fall far from the tree. Good thing **CM** was there to take him back home before **C's** mother returned. Just like old times. **A** and **J** trying on multitudes of matching dresses for the _Kiss on the Lips Party_. Speaking of the KotL, in the words of Annie, it's only a day away and I still haven't chosen my suitor for the night. Decisions like this make the heart grow weary. Perhaps I'll just go stag. Why go with the single dish when there's sure to be an open buffet? See you there if you were lucky enough to get an invite. 

Until next time my darlings.

You know you love me,

gossip girl

Moira Kinross bit her lip nervously as she looked up at the tall building before her. She then looked back at the crumpled paper in her hand which contained a print out from the Help Wanted listing on Craigslist. A job being a server at the swankiest restaurant in The Palace Hotel. At that moment she really hated her stepdad despite the fact that he treated her like his own blood while her mother was off at some retreat in Scotland....for the past two years that is. However, Norton McCoy has never initiated a divorce, hasn't dated any other woman, still went about as if he had someone to go home to, and spent most of the time holed up at his job in some nuclear plant in North Jersey. Needless to say he was a man in denial, and barely sought any family time with Moira or Hank, as if they were stark reminders of two women he lost from two failed marriages.

Now here she was spending a nice Thursday afternoon job hunting, because she had colleges to apply to, and a planned summer band tour to help fund----- _but more on that later_. A few people walked by her eyeing her up, noses clearly upturned, but Moira offered up a polite smile that made her teeth hurt. Was a student wearing their private school uniform after 3pm so foreign for the high and mighty??  Really? Did she really want to work for people like that?

But the _**tips**_ Moira focus on the **_tips_**!, her stepbrother Hank encouraged.

Taking a deep breath and rolling her shoulders back she approached the entrance nodding a thanks at the doorman that let her in. The lobby to The Palace Hotel was a narrow strip filled with hues of beige, red, blue, and golds. A large crystal chandelier was centered above the Palace emblem that was engraved in the marble flooring. She felt out of her league, but nevertheless spotted the archway leading to The Palace restaurant situated next to the elevators in the far back. Before she could even take another few steps a voice rang out.

" _Excuse me miss!_ "

Moira stopped in her tracks and turned towards the concierge desk. A man who oddly looked like Bruce Campbell, -if he had a thin mustache, overly gelle- back black hair, be-speckled with shades of grey and a clipped French accent- beckoned her with his hand.

She felt like she was being caught by Headmistress Monroe and being called to the woman's office. However, she could already feel the sting of embarrassment creeping through her chest and slowly approached the station. 

"Yes?" answered Moira as she held on to the strap of her bag that was slung around her shoulder.

"What is your business mademoiselle I've never seen you here before." he told her as he examined her from her faded black Mary Janes to her frizzy dark brown hair with a grimace.

Moira cast her eyes away from his judgemental gaze and dug out the listing from her Constance cardigan pocket.

"I'm applying for the server position at the restaurant," she explained and for fuck's sake why did she sound like a scared ninth grader. "It was listed on Craigslist--"

"What is this Craigslist?" he interrupted while waving a hand at her, but before she could speak again he put up a hand to stop her. Now Moira was appalled and could only open her mouth in an o of indignation. "Nevertheless we would not need your services. Positions are filled."

"But-"

"and may I advise that next time you come for an interview you dress a little more... _sophisticated_."

"Phillipe!"

Moira and the concierge whirled their heads to find Charles Xavier aside the Concierge's station. Moira didn't notice him or those big bright blue eyes that were trained on her before they locked onto 'Phillipe'.

"Monsieur Xavier..."

Now it was Charles' turn to silence the man with a hand raise and Charles came to stand by Moira's side.

"J'espère que vous n'étiez pas être impoli ici pour cette jolie femme qui se trouve être un invité à moi." Charles told him in French.

"Pas du tout," the concierge returned with a nervous smile. "Je viens de l'informer qu'il n'y a pas d'ouvertures d'emploi ici. Mes excuses si elle sortait dans le mauvais sens."

Moira was glancing confusedly at the two wondering why for one Charles felt the need to speak to the man in her defense ( _she hoped_ ) in a language that she didn't know. It was all so rude and annoying.

However, she _was_ seventeen years old and that part of her was simply swooning. It was making her stomach lurch at the feeling. She was too busy staring directly at his perfect hair that looked soft like brown silk that she didn't notice his slight nudge.

"Huh?" she answered stupidly and watched as he moved his foot by hers to step on a piece of what looked to be toilet tissue that she must have stepped on outside. _Ewwww! How pedestrian!_

_  
_

Moira lifted her foot and Charles successfully extracted the tissue off her shoe with his and he lightly kicked it away from them. 

"Pick it up," ordered Charles towards Phillipe, switching back to English. The concierge looked disgruntled, but only nodded and came from behind the desk. He kneeled down by Moira's shoe and she had an impulsive urge to kick him right in the face. "and apologize if you please."

"Je m-my apologies mademoiselle" Phillipe said as he picked up the tissue and stood up.

"Let me make this clear, sir," Charles tells him in a tone of voice that Moira recognizes that of Emma Frost back when she was a student at Constance and used to make her classmates double up on their Xanax. "If I find that you have disrespected any of my guests again then it will be your job that will need applicants."

Charles placed his hand on the small of Moira's back and led her to the elevators. Once they got a fair distance Moira turned to Charles as he pressed the elevator button.

"Not that I want to sound ungrateful, but I could have handled myself back there." she told him with a cock of her head towards Phillipe.

Charles smiled...that stupid million dollar smile that he was so infamous for. The one that could charm the anger out of anyone and the panties off a girl.

"I know," he said as the elevator dinged and the two gold metal doors opened. "I needed to practice my French."

"Your French and your transparency." Moira shot out before she could stop her chronic word vomit.

That only served Charles to laugh though, and he shot out an arm to stop the doors from closing.

"Now is that a put down on my impossibly pale skin or my pickup strategy?"

Moira shook her head but couldn't help but give him a smile. _Throw him a bone as they say...._

"Listen thanks, but I should be getting home" she said as she turned to walk away.

" _Wait!_ " Charles called out to her. Moira turned back around with an eyebrow raised in question. "You can't just leave after all that. Defending your honor and such. Possibly getting into a tiff with my mother about pissing off the help."

"Oh no?"

"I did say you were my guest after all and well our cook made the most wonderful chocolate chip cookies."

Moira contemplated her options:

A) Walk away from Charles Xavier right now, hop a bus or a cab back to Brooklyn where she could hear, and/or smell one of many of Hank's scientific experiments.

B) Continue this horrific job search in her school uniform and possibly be turned down 7 ways from Sunday.

Or

C) Go with one of the most influential and infamous boys of St. Jude's to have milk and cookies----how innocent sounding.

If Hank ever knew there was even an option C and she didnt take advantage of it he'd probably jump off the Brooklyn Bridge. For someone who wasn't even a blip on anyone's radar in school he was really into knowing the happenings of the It Crowd and Moira had a suspicion that he was crushing terribly on Raven Darkholme who was Charles' best friend.

Oh yes,  _option C_  for the sake of dangling that information in her step-brother's face and not because her hormones were telling her to get the fuck in that elevator.

"Charles Xavier" he said sticking out his hand in introduction. Moira rolled her eyes and slipped her hand into his with a firm grip, as if Charles Xavier needed to introduce himself.

"Moira Kinross" she responded just as the elevator doors shut and she was on her way up to the Xavier Penthouse.

XoXo

It's been almost a whole day! A whole _fucking_ day! A day of **no** phone calls, **no** text messages, **no** improptu flower deliveries, **no** glances, **no** attempts at getting her alone! **Nothing, nada, zilch**! So with the Kiss on the Lips Party being tomorrow night she was justified in getting an escort. As hostess, and well because she was _her_ there was no way she would be attending her party stag! Getting one on short notice was no small feat and she feared that she might even have had to pay one of those agencies...the non-sexual kind of course.

First, it had been Anna-Marie that had been sent off with the task while her and her closests stuffed the VIP Swag Bags in her penthouse living room. What she came back with was totally unacceptable especially since it took her all but an hour to report back. Then she sent Angel and Jubilee on every networking site around to see who was single, who was looking, and who was definately going to this party. Yet again they proved to be as useless as that sophomore, and more or less came up with the same result. Either all the good seniors were taken, were out of the country, or flat out weren't worthy enough. 

"Well he has really pretty eyes," Angel had started. "I mean if he could lose the 1960's glasses, and be introduced to the world of contact lenses."

"He's tall, almost as tall as Erik and you know how hard it is for you to get someone as Constance to be taller than _you_." Jubilee had continued while smacking her gum annoyingly. Raven leaned back in her lounger at that thought. As bitchy as Jubilee came out with it that didn't lessen the truth of the matter. 

"He's also number one in his class at St. Judes," Anna-Marie threw in as she spotted Raven's defenses lowering. 

"Well he's no Erik Lensherr, but hey even Anthony Michael Hall turned out to be a hottie right?" Kitty chimed in as she examined her nails.

"Girls we're not planning my future husband here that's already set," Raven stood up from her position on the lounge and reached for a strawberry that was sitting in a bowl next to a chocolate fondue pot. "Jealousy tends to shake things up a bit in a relationship and I want Erik to know that I will not be here waiting around." _And we would all know about jealousy, eh?_

_  
_

Raven dipped the strawberry into the warm melted dark chocolate, took it out and twirled it around as to catch the chocolate drippings. Three sets of eyes were trained on her as to calculate her next move, and were surprised when Raven brought the strawberry to Anna-Marie's mouth. The sophomore was taken aback and a little wary to the gesture. The blonde before her cocked her eyebrows up as if daring her to reject this act of acceptance. Mouth opened she slowly bit off the chocolate dipped strawberry. Raven smiled like a sneaky chesire cat. With her bright blue eyes, and several shades of blonde hair sometimes the senior looked scary. Almost like an imitation Emma Frost. 

"Good girl," Raven purred before dropping the remainder on Anna-Marie's skirt. Angel and Jubilee looked particularly miffed as if they were the ones that had the idea first. However, they held their tongue. They weren't afraid of the girl with long drab brown hair, with that gap in her two front teeth, with the occasional annoying twang, and who wore arm length gloves with practically everything. She screamed of a makeover, and the fact that Raven wasn't particularly initiating one said that Anna-Marie wasn't to be fully accepted as one of hers. 

Raven excused herself to the foyer by the elevators hoping Erik would emerge from them before she finished this phone call. 

_One Ring_

_  
_

"Raven!" came a breathless answer. "I'm on my way to another flower shop. Apparently, the one we originally had came up short with the orchid order and tried to mix it up with roses--"

"Never mind that I know you'll fix it," Raven said impatiently. "You always do."

She fixed her eye on the unlit arrow sitting atop the elevator door and pursed her lips. 

"Right."

"Listen Hank there's still so much I have to do, but I won't be attending the Kiss on the Lips Party with Erik tomorrow night so I still need an escort. _Behereat7tomorrowandmakesuretheflowersandthelightshowisallsetupokthankstalktoyoulater_."

She hung up before he could even get out another word. Then she banged her IPhone against her head with a groan. This could even work in her favor, or it could lose her Erik and her social status. That was fine...Raven was all about odds, and the odds lately have been ever in her favor.

_Roses are red. Violets are blue. **E** and **R** are apparently forever. So **H** she's gonna screw you._

_  
_

_xoxo_

_gossip girl_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks all for reading and giving this a chance. It will start picking up and there will be Charles/Erik interaction a couple chapters from now! :)


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Erik goes to see Charles and the latter makes a date with Moira.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the long wait ya'll. I'm in film production and have been busy with multiple jobs lately. Plus I fell into a minor writer's block. I decided to just post the chapter :)

****

He should just go in.

Really, someone was bound to snap a photo of him pacing around the courtyard entrance of The Palace Hotel. He couldn’t have Raven finding out that he was at The Palace instead of making some grand apology to her for the night before. However, he would deal with her tomorrow phone long shut off as to ignore her insistent calling.

Erik sighed and stuffed his hands in his black faux leather jacket, which had a nice hooded thermal lining inside, but didn’t keep him completely warm from the bitter chill in the air. It seemed like winter was trying to make an early appearance.

No, he couldn’t do it.

He couldn’t face him.

Not after he sent that letter to Charles, and now that Raven basically cut their ties off to him as well.

Erik turned around to make the long trek back his house where he would get a few of the guys together for an impromptu soccer sesh…

“Erik Lensherr!”

Erik looked up from the ground to see Sharon Xavier walking up to him with a pearly white smile. She was wearing a black pencil skirt with black tights, black heels, and a green turtleneck sweater. There wasn’t a blonde hair out of place, or a wrinkle in sight. It was quite hard to believe she was a mother to a 19 and 17 year old.

“Mrs. Xavier,” Erik greeted politely with a grin of his own. He gave her an air kiss on either cheek before gesturing to the two garment bags draped over her arms. “Is that for Kiss on the Lips?”

Sharon nodded before pouting her lower lip. “Yes, I’m hoping the sight of a new tux would get Charles in a better mood to go.”

“Oh.” was all Erik could say since he didn’t even think Raven sent him an invite to begin with. Seeing as Sharon was on the planning committee Charles didn’t necessarily _need_ one. So _there_ , he would see Charles tomorrow night.

“Are you here to see Charles?”

Erik rocked back on his heels and looked back up at the building wondering what Charles was doing. If he was even home…

“Come on then I’m sure he would be happy to see a friendly face,” Sharon cocked her head towards the hotel waiting for Erik to take the first steps. “No need to be shy.”

Erik looked back at her and swallowed. “Ok.” And suddenly he just became hotter.

XoXo

If someone told Moira that she would be standing inside Charles Xavier's suite waiting as he fetched them cookies and tea as if this were an afterschool play date between children she wouldn't have believed it. She stood awkwardly by the sofa which looked tiny in comparison to the high ceilings, floor to ceiling windows that gave way to the beauty that was Manhattan, and the black grand piano situated by the fireplace in the center of the room. The room was decorated heavily in golds and blacks with bright white carpeting, a sweeping staircase that led to the second level sat directly across from the fireplace. Stepping off the elevator she was unable to stop herself from gaping at the luxuries that she only had the privilege to imagine.

Despite the fact that she went to school with some of the wealthiest kids in New York City, she never actually stepped inside of any of her classmate's home. _I guess someone is having a little memory loss?_

"I love that view," came a voice behind her. "It's probably the only thing I like about this place." She turned around from the hypnotizing view at the window to see Charles placing a tray down on the coffee table which contained a plate of chocolate chip cookies that immediately assaulted her with the smell of rich chocolate, and a steaming hot pot of tea with two plates and two china cups.

"Hard to know if you're talking about this penthouse, or the city itself." Moira told him with a shy smirk. She walked over as he began to pour them tea from the ceramic pot. "It's an outstanding place you have here."

Even using the word 'outstanding' felt like an understatement, and she immediately corrected herself to not sound like a four year old visiting Disney World for the first time.

Charles scoffed. "It screams of my mother's cold and garish taste." He gestured for Moira to sit down on the white couch behind them. She was slightly taken aback by his tone of indifference when commenting on his mother, but then again it was well known that most of the Upper East Siders were raised by nannies, and maids. "Sorry, I shouldn't speak that way."

"It's fine." Moira took a seat next to Charles that was not too close, but not too far either. He handed her a saucer that contained the steaming cup of tea and relished in the scent of peppermint.

"Anyway, tell me about yourself," Charles said as he stole a cookie from the plate and bit into it. Moira couldn't help but taking in the sight of his overly pink lips. The color and suppleness of his lips couldn't be real. The striking hue of his eyes was hypnotic. It took a couple swallows before she could answer.

"I don't have much to say really," she told him before taking a small sip. Charles cocked his head and then sat back in the sofa bringing his leg to rest on his knee. Moira let out a soft chuckle at his look of curiosity. "What?"

"I've never met a girl who didn’t have much to say about herself."

Moira placed the china cup back down on the metal tray with a slight shake of her head. “I was pretty much raised that it was rude to talk about yourself, so it’s not something I’m used to.”

“I hope that isn’t the answer you plan on giving your admissions reps.” Charles joked. Moira smiled and shifted uncomfortably on the couch. 

“I didn’t know this was an interview.” Moira countered a little more deadpanned then intended, but she knew more about Charles Xavier than necessary.

Charles face fell slightly. “I just want to get to know you.”

Moira looked down at her hands and then back at him. “There are only 85 girls in our grade if you don’t know a thing about me in three years I’m only curious to the sudden spark in interest. You don’t have the best reputation.”

“Rumors can hardly be counted as fact.”

Moira stood up with a nod, and Charles stood up to meet her face to face.

Charles closed his eyes embarrassingly only to open them back up and see that his guest had disappeared before him. He spun around calling out to her.

“I’m a different person now.”

Moira stopped before she could hit the foyer and turned back around. Charles came around from the couch refreshments long forgotten. This girl for some reason was very familiar almost comforting, and he knew that first impressions were everything. Apparently, Moira was very much aware of his previous escapades, but hopefully not of ones from his darkest of days. The fact that she stopped and was staring at him in a way that said “I want to hear you out” gave him hope that maybe he could appeal to someone outside his inner circle. However…

There was the chime from the elevator signaling an arrival.

He could hear his mother cheerfully talking to someone about _The Kiss on the Lips_ party preparation.

_Oh God not Kurt please!_

The thought of having to sit through a dinner which he knew was coming with Kurt and Cain Marko was enough to make his teeth hurt. His mother with all her 5’9” stature rounded the corner first, and Charles could literally hear nothing, but the pounding of his heart. Standing not but 30 feet away was Erik sans Raven.

What was he doing _here_?!

He almost didn’t hear his mother’s question, and tore his gaze from Erik’s downtrodden one to Sharon who was shaking Moira’s hand.

“I’m s..s..sorry,” Charles stuttered then he licked his lips realizing that he was asked a question. “Moira goes to Constance.”

“Oh how lovely!” cooed Sharon and Charles could practically see Sharon flipping through her memory just what family Moira belonged to, how much her family made in a year, and how fast she could pair Moira up with her only son. She looked behind her to see Erik a few feet away from the group and beckoned him to stand next to her with that million dollar smile of hers. “Look who I found wandering around the courtyard!”

Charles looked at Erik questioningly as the latter’s ears turned a bright shade of embarrassing red.

“It’s been so long since Erik’s been in our home,” Sharon commented wistfully patting the two boys’ shoulders.

“Well I’m sorry that you came all this way Erik I was just about to take Moira home,” Charles told him quickly his gaze hardening.

“That’s ok,” Erik looked between Moira and Charles finally able to crack a smile. “I just wanted to see how you were.”

“Charles I’ll be fine it’s a long way.” Moira told him as she felt the heavy tension begin to build in the room. The way Erik and Sharon were staring at her as if she were some kind of unidentifiable species was making her uncomfortable.

“Yes, perhaps you’ll be seeing each other at the Kiss on the Lips party tomorrow night?” Sharon hinted suspiciously while jiggling the garment bag draped across her arm. Moira almost snorted for she was for sure the only senior at Constance that wasn’t invited, not that she cared to go in the first place. Charles finally noticed what was in his mother’s hand wasn’t an outfit for her, but a suit for him. He groaned and shook his head.

“Mother I will not be attending that party tomorrow night” Charles insisted.

Sharon let out a frustrated breath of air and Moira started to wish that she could blend into the designer paint job on the wall.

“Charles all your friends are going to be there. Raven’s throwing it!” Sharon stated all too excitedly.

“Umm yeah,” Charles looked to Erik’s almost guilty and sorry gaze and Charles knew then just by that look alone that Raven told her boyfriend everything that happened the night before. “See when I got the invitation I had already made plans.”

“With whom?” Sharon inquired.

Charles looked to Moira who was scratching the back of her head. “Moira.”

“Hmm?”

Moira looked from the floor and saw that all three were now staring at her. Charles raised his eyebrows for some kind of save to which she then nodded. “Yes, we have plans…umm tomorrow night these bands are playing and that’s where we’re going…to hear some bands.”

“Charles, I didn’t know you were into _that_ sort of thing.” Erik chimed in.

“Well I’ve grown into some new interests, and _out_ of others.” Charles threw in lightly. Erik was taken aback by this cold reception. He should have seen it coming…

“Well fine I guess we can save this for another event then.” Sharon told Charles disappointedly. “Erik, Moira nice to see you don’t be strangers now.”

Sharon then turned to walk up the stairs to retreat to her room.

“I guess I should be going…” Erik said breaking the uncomfortable silence that formed.

“No, you stay I will go” Moira insisted. “My brother’s in the city and I’m just going to catch up with him.” She turned to Charles. “Walk me out?”

Charles nodded and led the way. He pressed the elevator button for Moira and he could feel her eyes burning a hole in her back. “Look, I’m really not interested in going to this party, and could hide out somewhere for hours on end.” He turned to her as the elevator doors opened. “However, I would really like your company tomorrow night.”

Moira regarded him with observant eyes. Sure his shoes were made of the finest Italian leather, his hands manicured, haircut that probably costs over $300, but his eyes. Those eyes were the eyes of the eighth grader that had cut up his hands climbing up an oak tree to her kite untangled. She was sure he had been high at the time, or just plain crazy, but that was the day she had taken deep notice into Charles Xavier. Her face softened as she stepped by him into the elevator. “212-555-6237, pick me up at 8 sharp.”

Then the doors closed both with smiles on their faces; a smile that quickly disappeared once Charles remembered the guest that was waiting for him back in the living room.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Erik and Charles meet alone for the first time in a year.


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Erik and Charles are finally alone after a year, and Hank gets a surprise visit.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ugh! I really did not mean to let this go without an update for more than a year. Terribly sorry and I hope I still have readers interested in this fic. I love this fusion fic, and have ideas for it. Life just happened. Anyway, thanks for the many kudos and comments. Enjoy!

_2 Years Ago...._

_"Lehnsherr wake the hell up over there!" came a shout from his coach who was waving at him frantically. Erik blinked several times as his teammate skillfully dribbled the soccer ball past him and scored._

_Several groans came from the teammates on his practice team. Coach Carr blew on his whistle several times signaling the end of practice. He looked none too happy as he strode towards Erik on the field._

_"Keep this up and you'll be demoted to waterboy for the next game." Coach growled in his face, a dribble of tobacco spit dribbled down the side of his mouth making Erik scrunch his face in disgust._

_"Aww give him a break coach his friend..."_

_"Fuck off Osborn." Erik snapped over his left shoulder not even bothering to look at the brunette who slowly backed off hands in the air in mock defense. "Coach I'll be fine."_

_Coach Carr grunted before poking Erik on the chest with each annunciated word. "I don't need you to be fine. I need you to give me 110%. So leave your fucking entitled problems off my field. The game doesn't care if you broke up with your girlfriend, failed a class, or even if your friend is in the hospital. The game does not care and neither do I. Capi-che?"_

_Erik tightened his fists angrily. He could see some of his teammates moving in just in case Erik did anything crazy. It had been a bad fucking week._

_"Hey coach, it would probably be easier not to bring my own problems on the field if you were to do us the same pleasure. You don't have to be such a prick just because your wife is fucking her new flavor of the week."_

_The week just got worse._

_\----------------------------------------_

_Erik hoped his parents weren't home. He was officially suspended from the team pending further notice. He was already in hot water with his father and if he found out that Erik was suspended for disrespecting his elder Erik was sure his father would resort to some sort of corporal punishment._

_He stepped into his brownstone that he had called home since birth and made it midway up the stairs when he heard his name being called from his mother's mouth. Erik turned back around to see his mother, Edie Lehnsherr, standing at the bottom of the stairs wearing an apron over a yellow dress, and slippers with her unruly curly brown hair pinned up. She looked up at him with a glint in her brown eyes._

_"Did you hear anything?" Erik asked hopefully._

_Edie raised an eyebrow and Erik apologized._

_"Guten Tag Mutter." Erik greeted politely. "Have you heard anything?"_

_Edie face relaxed into a sad smile. "I'm sorry shatzi, but Mrs. Xavier is...she's still upset and she's not taking calls from any of us."_

_A heavy silence fell between them before Edie once again spoke up. "I'm going to make you something to eat, and I'm not taking no for an answer tonight liebling." Before she retreated back to the kitchen she looked at Erik and told him he loved him in a way that said she didn't want to lose him like Sharon almost lost her own son. Erik returned the sentiment and then retreated to his room to shower. Just as he shut the door his phone rang from inside his duffle bag._

_He hoped it was Raven calling with some news. Maybe she had a better shot of it than he did. She had been taken under Emma's circle recently so he had hoped Emma had finally turned her own phone back on. Erik placed his duffle bag on the floor and crouched down to fish his phone out of the front pocket. The name that flashed on the screen made his heart leap and he quickly pressed 'accept'._

_"Emma, how is he?!"_

_"He can tell you himself if you can stop shouting" came a hoarse voice that most certainly did not belong to the Ice Queen herself._

_"Charles?" Erik choked out. He blinked a few times and then quickly locked his door to avoid interruptions._

_"The one and only," Charles replied with an attempt at humor. "You didn't think you'd get rid of me that easy right?"_

_Erik swallowed and shakily sat on his bed._

_"Too early, eh?" Charles inquired over the tense silence._

_"Yes" Erik answered while Charles sighed._

_"We don't have a lot of time. Emma snuck me her phone and managed to convince my mother to go grab a coffee in the cafeteria. The cafeteria Erik! I mean really she does not even want to leave the room let alone the hospital. She's...she's..."_

_"Scared shitless," Erik finished for him, because he knew exactly how Sharon Xavier felt except she only gave Charles' friends one option, and that was to stay away. "We all are."_

_"Erik...I didn't call for this."_

_Erik shifted his whole body onto the bed and leaned against the headboard squeezing his eyes shut._

_"They why did you call?"_

_"Because you're the first person I wanted to hear from." Charles answered honestly that took Erik by surprise. That he didn't expect. He couldn't be angry, but he didn't know how to respond to such a sentiment either._

_"You should call Raven." he responded finally. "She's been beside herself, and she's missed a couple of days of school."_

_Charles sighed and muttered a curse under his breath. "Not yet. She's going to tear me a new one, kick my ass, hug me to death...I don't know."_

_Erik knew the feeling. He wanted to do the very same things to his best friend._

_"So have I made the Gossip Girl rounds yet?"_

_"Oh yeah, there's a whole article featured on you from the party. No pictures of course...we can thank Cain for implementing the no phone rule. Just speculation of what happened however."_

_"Hmm so exhaustion and dehydration is not sticking too well is it?"_

_"To most, but you know how the rumor mill gets."_

_Another bout of uncomfortable silence. Of all the things Erik thought he would say if he had this opportunity he was sure at a loss for words now._

_"Mother she's...sending me to therapy." Charles admitted sadly._

_"Really?"_

_"Yes, and Emma has to go as well," Charles continued. "It was either that or go live with my aunt and uncle in England."_

_"And you wanted to stay?"_

_Charles gave a small labored laugh before continuing. "Of course. Do you think I should go?"_

_Erik leaned forward and buried his head in his hand. "Charles I would never want you to leave. I need you here, but I also want you healthy. I need you to not do that to...us ever again."_

_Erik could hear some hitched breathing as if the other was trying not to cry, but it didn't work as he received a tearful reply. "Erik, I didn't call for this."_

_"I know." Erik answered. "But it's about time you heard it."_

_"Yeah." Charles whispered so softly that Erik barely caught it. "Erik?"_

_"Charles?"_

_Another bout of silence coupled with an occasional sniffle. Erik sat there uneasy, but relished in the fact that his best friend was alive. Emma's voice drifted in from the background loudly as if she were cluing Charles in that she and their mother were back. Erik opened his mouth to utter a goodbye, but was met with a beep that signified that the other had hung up._

Present....

Now that the second round of pleasantries were over with and Charles was sure that his mother was couped up in her study with her decanter and old school Jazz music to occupy her time for the next hour, the two boys were now sitting across each other in the kitchen on either side of the island. Charles had left the tea and cookies abandoned by the sink after Erik declined. The silence was stretching with each passing minute. Erik was seemingly lost in thought, his eyes burning a hole in the natural stone pattern of the granite countertop. Charles itched to have something to occupy himself with.

Where to start? What to touch base on first?

"That night," Erik began suddenly jarring Charles' attention back to his friend before him. Erik still couldn't look at Charles. "The night of Marko's party."

Charles didn't expect them to start there. He hugged himself as he let out a heavy sigh. "What about it besides the obvious?"

Erik bit his lower lip and finally looked up at Charles. "We talked that night. I don't know if you remember, but we went up to the rooftop for a little while. Two kids. Two best friends from the Upper East Side since the second grade. Two best friends that would do anything for each other. Two best friends who told each other everything."

Charles shook his head sadly. "Where are you going with this?"

"Were you talking about me?" Erik asked in a small voice that he didn't quite recognize. "Your German is absolutely awful, especially when you're drunk, but I know what you were trying to say."

Charles swallowed. There actually wasn't very much he remembered about that night, but he remembered what exactly Erik was talking about. Charles still didn't give an answer, but Erik continued anyway as if Charles just didn't remember. "I asked you if you ever been in love, and you answered 'the person I love has been standing in front of me all along."

"Erik, really-"

"I thought it was Raven and I even teased you about it, because honestly Charles how cheesy, but then..." Erik stopped suddenly, and changed course. "So was it me?"

Charles sighed and pushed himself off the stool. "Erik it's time for you to go. Really, I would love to sit around and reminisce about the not so good ol' days, but perhaps we should keep our distance."

He began to leave the kitchen when he felt a hand on his upper arm and he was being spun back around forcefully. He let out a shocked cry at being face to face in such close proximity with Erik. "After what you did to me you owe me the truth."

Charles blanched. 

"What-I-did-to-you!" Charles shrugged Erik's arm away angrily. "You asshole. The answer is no...that wasn't about you. Not that I even know what you're fucking talking about. I didn't come back for you. I don't want to see you. I don't want to be your friend. I don't want to know you, and that Erik Lehnsherr I don't have to put into a letter. Now please find your way out of my home, and don't come back."

Erik blinked several times not used to having Charles' hostility focused on him. He had to admit maybe that was a poor choice of words to start with, but dammit. "So that's it then?"

Charles stepped to the side clearing a path for Erik to leave. Erik took a step towards the exit, but not before some parting words. "You were my best friend Charles. My brother."

This time Charles casted his hard glare down to the tile floor. "Keyword being 'were', and we haven't been exactly the best of friends since the moment I received a hastily written letter cutting ties on our friendship and it's certainly been a very long while since I've considered you my brother."

\-------------------------------------------------------------------

Moira opened the front door to her family's large and crumbling tenth-floor, four-bedroom West End Avenue apartment. It was a beautiful old place with twelve-foot ceilings, lots of sunny windows, big walk-in closets, and huge bathtubs with feet, but it hadn't been renovated since the 1940s. The walls were constructed of brick, and the wood floors were scratched and dull. Ancient, mammoth dust bunnies had gathered in the corners and along the baseboards like moss. She kicked the door shut with her foot and walked to the kitchen where she put down the brown paper bag of Chinese take out on the counter. She had seen the door to her step-dad's open and could hear some rustling going on inside. Moira dropped her backpack from her shoulders to beside the door then made her way to the bedroom. 

"Ah so here you are!"

Hank glanced over his shoulder and then turned his attention back to the closet pulling out a bright purple button down. Moira grimaced. "What are you doing?"

"Does dad have any tuxedos?" Hank asked with a frustrated tone. Moira's gaze went from the closet to the bed where a small pile of ties, three button down shirts, two pairs of tweed pants, and two pairs of dark slacks were sprawled across the bed. She crossed the large bedroom and eyed the pants. 

"I don't think so...he usually rents." Moira picked up the black slacks checking them out front to back. "Hank this stuff is too big for you."

Hank slammed the closet door shut and joined Moira at the bed where he stared down at the pile pathetically. He had nothing presentable to wear, and a rented tux would do no good. His dad gave Moira a credit card, but that was only to be used for emergencies only...but this _was_ an emergency. Perhaps he could just buy a tux from Bendels, and return it the next day. Moira tossed the pants back on the bed. "What do you need a tux for anyway?"

Hank began to collect the clothing that he had piled on the bed to return them to its stored location. "I was invited to the Kiss on the Lips party."

"Oh?" Moira said softly sitting down on the edge of the bed. "and that's tomorrow night?"

Hank froze before he could hook the last shirt on the closet rod, and shut his eyes in realization. He turned to his step sister apology ready at the lips, but she held up her hand. "It's alright you've been to your fair share of shows. I know how much going to this party means to you if not to stare at your fair lady from afar."

He could tell Moira that he wouldn't be staring at any girl from afar as the only girl he had eyes for would be on his arm, but he knew Moira would disapprove of his date. Hank didn't want anything else to ruin his mood especially being lectured on how Raven already had a boyfriend (maybe?). 

"Come on I brought dinner, and after we eat we'll figure out your fashion situation." Moira stood up and grabbed her brother who was about 5" taller than her by the shoulders guiding him out of the bedroom and towards the kitchen. 

_Tap Tap Tap_

"Are you expecting guests?" Moira asked releasing Hank who shook his head. Moira moved forward and opened the green painted door. 

"Hi Moira!" cried Anna-Marie still dressed in her school uniform, and her hair pulled back in the messiest of ponytails. However, it wasn't the 15 year old that Moira was staring at, but the tall man behind her who was speaking quietly into a cell phone. He had brown eyes that flicked to her in acknowledgment as she stepped aside to let them in, a mustache, and beard, short black hair, and six gold earrings, four in the left ear and two in the right. He was wearing tight leather pants that left nothing to the imagination, a white shirt, and a black scarf around his neck. 

"Ummm..." Hank looked to Anna-Marie curiously as she stared at him with a smile that said, you can thank me later. 

"Sorry we didn't call it was just last minute," Anna Marie explained as Moira crossed her arms and leaned against the front door watching the three individuals before her. The man finally closed out his phone conversation and apologized.

"This is Cinna," Anna-Marie introduced enthusiastically gesturing the to her right. "He is Raven's personal stylist and you Hank have been treated to a personal makeover for tomorrow's shindig."

Before Hank or Moira could utter another word Cinna moved towards the taller individual grabbing his hands and checking out his fingernails. Then he ran a hand through Hank's unruly brown hair even as the boy protested, and then proceeded to whip out a fashion measuring tape taking Hank's measurements in quick succession. Anna-Marie watched on with glee. She looked to Moira who was still gaping at what was happening before her. Cinna then grabbed Hank's face moving it from side to side in observation. 

"Beautiful bone structure." he muttered. Hank slapped Cinna's hand away and stepped back. 

"I'm sorry," Hank said eyeing both Anna-Marie and Cinna. "But what is this?"

Cinna smirked and stepped up to Hank looking at him straight in the eye. "This is me appearing as your fairy godmother, because you are going to the ball to dance with the princess of Constance." He then grabbed Hank's arms and gave them an encouraging squeeze. "I will make you shine brighter than a diamond ring from Harry Winston's."

Hank couldn't help but smile. For a minute he supposed he had been surrounding himself with too many chemicals in the lab back at school, but no there was Cinna helping himself to raiding through Hank's pathetically sparse closet, Anna-Marie helping herself to an egg roll, and Moira giving him a raised eyebrow. He didn't care. In 24 hours he was going to be the luckiest guy in school.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Working on the next chapter as I update! I hope everyone has a safe and happy New Years and I hope to bring you more gifts of fanfiction soon :)

**Author's Note:**

> So I am without a beta and I would happily accept one for grammar, punctuation, and general story flow reasons. There's going to be all kinds of Marvel cameos and twists in this story. I hope you'll stick it out with me :)


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